Smooth sailing?
Fewer delays from highway construction possible this summer
At least five major construction projects will be under way on Northwest Montana roadways this summer, but the unusual nature of two of them means traffic delays could be minimal compared to previous years.
Montana Department of Transportation officials say two of the projects - the West Reserve Connector in Kalispell and Big Mountain Road in Whitefish - should have limited impacts because they involve the construction of new roads.
Other projects could be more noticeable. This includes a portion of the Swamp Creek section along U.S. 2, east of Libby; continued work on U.S. 93 South in Lake County; and completion of the U.S. 93 improvements north of Church Drive, between Kalispell and Whitefish.
Details on the main highway-construction projects slated for the area this summer:
Kalispell area
. West Reserve Connector - This is a new, four-lane road that will run from the intersection of Stillwater Road and West Reserve Drive east-southeast across the Section 36 school-trust property, passing by Glacier High School and connecting to U.S. 93 south of Costco.
The new road includes a roundabout at the Stillwater/Reserve intersection. Eventually, an interchange will be built in the middle of Section 36, providing access to the U.S. 93 bypass.
The project goes to bid April 26. Gary Kalberg, Missoula district construction engineer for the Department of Transportation, said the contract calls for the road to be finished and paved by Aug. 20, before Glacier High School opens for business this fall.
"The contractor will have some leeway as to which section of the road they do first, but the contract doesn't allow traffic on any gravel sections," Kalberg said. "So there's a portion along Reserve Drive that will have to be built while traffic is in the area. The same is true for the roundabout - the intersection will have to remain open while they're working on it, so it's going to take some coordination."
. Meridian Road; West Reserve Drive between U.S. 93 and U.S. 2 - Construction work on these two projects was completed last year. Final overlays, chip-sealing and final striping will be done this spring.
Whitefish area
. Big Mountain Road - The contract for this 2.5-mile, $9.75 million construction project was awarded last November to M.A. DeAtley Construction of Clarkston, WA.
The job entails the removal of two sharp corners near the entrance to Ptarmigan Village, between mileposts 4.1 and 6.5. A new roadbed will be built uphill from the subdivision, with a large, sweeping turn before it reconnects to the existing roadway just past Elk Highlands.
The company has begun removing vegetation and stumps from the new route. Traffic delays of as long as 15 minutes are possible.
The excavation and embankment work will begin in May. A fair amount of rock drilling and blasting will be required, which might result in road closures of as long as an hour, though the company indicates delays of as long as 15 minutes are more likely. Five retaining walls also will be built. Paving is scheduled to be completed by mid-October.
"The whole project should be completed this year, except for chip-sealing and final striping," Kalberg said. "Traffic should be on the new pavement this fall."
A lengthy portion of the existing roadway will be removed when the new route is open. Two smaller portions still will be needed to provide access to Ptarmigan Village and to one or two individual homes. State and county road officials are discussing who will be responsible for maintaining those sections.
. Wisconsin Avenue bike path - In conjunction with some storm-drain upgrades and other improvements, the state hopes to build about three miles of new bike path this summer along Wisconsin Avenue, between Edgewood Place and Big Mountain Road, with a short spur continuing down East Lakeshore Drive to Alpine Court.
That contract could be let in May, Kalberg said, though it depends on some utility work being completed ahead of time.
. U.S. 93, north of Church Drive - Work on this project began last fall and should be completed this summer. It involves widening the highway to four lanes. Kalberg said it could start affecting traffic as early as next week.
Other projects
. U.S. 2 east of Libby - Because of some technical problems along a portion of this 12-mile section, the project has been split into three parts. Schellinger Construction of Columbia Falls was awarded the contract for the eastern portion, which involves reconstructing the highway between mileposts 53.8 and 57.2.
. U.S. 93 near Rollins - A major overlay along this section of highway, between mileposts 85 and 93, will be completed this summer.
. U.S. 93 South - Construction continues along several sections of highway, but much of the work will be completed soon.
Two sections of highway near Ravalli Hill, south of St. Ignatius, are being widened, with wildlife crossings and a new bridge over Medicine Creek. A new scenic overlook and future rest area also are being added at the top of the hill.
"Most of that will be done Monday or Tuesday, except for the paving of the [rest area] parking lot," Kalberg said. "That should be done by the middle of the month, and the chip-sealing and striping will be done in June or July."
Work also continues in the Mud Creek area between Polson and Ronan, where two bridges are being replaced. Some of this project was completed last summer. The contract for the road improvements in this area should be let this summer as well, but it shouldn't affect traffic this year.
For updates on these projects, visit www.us93info.com/pubinvolve/us93info/
. Glacier National Park - Rehabilitation work continues along Going-to-the-Sun Road this summer, with short delays possible in several areas.
Reporter Bill Spence may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at bspence@dailyinterlake.com